NDR Radiophilharmonie Hannover, Symphony Hall, Birmingham | 13 October 2026. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review by David Gray & Paul Gray
NDR Radiophilharmonie Hannover
Symphony Hall, Birmingham | 13 October 2026.
⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review by David Gray & Paul Gray
“This is how you do 19th Century German music.”
Beethoven – Egmont Overture
Beethoven – Piano Concerto No 4 in G major
Brahms – Symphonie No 2 in D major
Playing an all 19th Century German programme, the NDR Radiophilharmonie Hannover delivered the most thrilling opening bars of a concert this reviewer has heard in a good long time.
Beethoven’s Egmont Overture is all neo-gothic passion with a particularly German brand of romantic heroism. The Hannover band’s strings attacked the start of this work, digging deep to produce raw, dark, earthy tones. The sense of threat was palpable.
There followed an essay on just how much drama can be packed into a short piece of music. Conductor Stanislav Kochanovsky did not take his foot of the pedal for a second, and the result was utterly thrilling. Now this is how you start a concert!
Having caught our attention directly, Kochanovsky maintained our interest with a beautifully organised reading of Beethoven’s 4th Piano Concerto. The first movement of this very lovely work is on the long side. The conductor guided us through it with clarity and made complete sense of its expansive sonata structure by highlighting thematic linkage and leaning unobtrusively on the ‘structural downbeats’ of the underlying musical form.
Soloist, Lise de la Salle, played with bright colours, strong dynamic contrasts, and ebullient crispness. There are smoother and glossier readings of this concerto out there - if that is your thing? But de la Salle’s approach delivered urgency and immediacy. Some of the passage work might have been more even and legato, while a bit less sustain pedal might have given more focus.
A very stately and engrossing Andante brought a moment of meditative calm, nicely grounding things before the dizzy abandon of the Rondo Vivace. Here de la Salle’s passage work – and crisp clarity - could not be flawed, and the playful dialogue between the orchestra and soloist was an absolute joy.
Kochanovsky continued his role as a trusted guide, giving us a well-signposted reading of Brahms’ sunny 4th Symphony. In particular, the strings section showed their range by delivering a unique sound profile: luminescent, suave, and very Viennese.
A sturdy opening movement breathed ease and charm. The Adagio was particularly well-shaped with moments of passion suddenly surging to the fore. The third movement gave the woodwind a chance to shine with exquisitely delicate and elegant playing.
The striking thing about the finale was how completely at one it was with the rest of the work. Here again we have Kochanovsky to thank. Yes, it was enormous fun, and wildly exciting. However, it arrived as the result of what had gone before; a moment of catharsis if you will. This is a conductor who really understands the bigger picture and overarching story of this glorious symphony. Of course, in this, he is aided and abetted by an excellent group of players.
NDR Radiophilharmonie Hannover
Stanislav Kochanovsky – Conductor
Lise de la Salle - Piano